Eminem's Wife Files for Divorce

March 2

Eminem's up-and-down marriage is on the ropes again — his wife, Kim Mathers, filed for divorce Thursday, after the couple reconciled and dropped lawsuits in December.

"This is a marriage that apparently just isn't going to work," her attorney, Robert Z. Feldstein, told The Detroit News. "Luckily, the parties seem to be communicating well with respect to their daughter, and hopefully that communication and cooperation is going to be ongoing for the best interest of the child."

Kim and Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, have been married since June 1999 and have a 5-year-old daughter, Hailie Jade.

Ongoing Disputes for Em' and Kim

The rapper — who was at the center of the media's attention at February's Grammy Awards, where he won three awards and performed a much-hyped duet with Elton John — filed for divorce in August, after a tumultuous summer for the couple.

Eminem was hit with weapons charges for two separate incidents on the same June weekend. In one of the incidents — for which he recently pleaded guilty to a reduced charge — he allegedly hit a man with a gun after seeing him kiss Kim.

His wife, who is prominently featured as an object of violence in Eminem songs such as "Kim" and "'97 Bonnie and Clyde," attempted suicide in July.

Kim Mathers responded to her husband's divorce proceedings with a lawsuit that led to a settlement giving her legal custody of their child.

Rapper Courted By Hollywood

When their unexpected reconciliation was announced in December, her lawyers said she had worked out her differences with her superstar husband for the sake of their daughter.

Eminem's lawyer, Harvey Hauer, said in The Detroit News that the couple made "a good faith attempt" at reconciliation but "apparently it wasn't the most successful attempt." He did not say whether the couple had sought counseling or if they were currently separated, according to the paper.

Kim is seeking joint legal and physical custody of Hailie Jade, and she requested a court order to freeze the couple's assets until the divorce was settled.

The news comes at a time when Eminem's fame and notoriety is at a peak — though his profile may increase more if he accepts any of the offers coming his way from Hollywood.

The studios have been pursuing the popular 28-year-old star, most recently offering him $4 million to play the bad guy, opposite fellow rapper DMX's role as good guy, in Lazarus, according to Variety. The movie began has a fourth installment of The Crow series but has evolved into its own project.

The magazine also reports that the rapper is working with mentor and producer Dr. Dre to record songs for an upcoming autobiographical movie — a project that Imagine and Universal are working to put together.